Maguire honored as top teacher at Bob Jones
MADISON – Mary-Katherine Maguire is one of those lucky people who enjoys her job. The 2019 “Teacher of the Year” at Bob Jones High School feels thankful to do what she loves every day.
Maguire has lived in the Madison area for 12 years, four at the University of Alabama. “I moved down here from Northern Virginia with my parents and one sibling after graduating from high school. My father got a new job with Missile Defense,” Maguire said.
Her first job in teaching was pre-advanced placement chemistry at Grissom High School. There she met Danny Elegante, then science department lead at Bob Jones who told her about an opening.
“The rest is history! I’ve been at Bob Jones for five years teaching various science classes and a ‘Project Lead the Way: Principles of Engineering class,'” Maguire said. She sponsors Biology Club and girls’ soccer with their paperwork, team travels and moral support. “I’m basically the glorified team mom.”
Most people would not expect that Maguire is a “science rapper as a fun way to help engage students. I write silly science verses to popular songs. Check out my YouTube channel at youtube.com/watch?v=EeWzyR1xap4&t=2s,” she said.
At UA, Maguire earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education/general science. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in that field at the University of West Alabama.
Other educators have helped Maguire. “Dr. Foeckler, who taught biology at Seton School in Manassas, Va., had a major influence on me. I never thought I was very good at science. However, she presented the content in a way I could understand. She always gave encouragement if I was struggling,” Maguire said.
“Most of all, Dr. Foeckler was a pediatrician first, teacher second, so (building) connections with students and answering real-world questions were unmatched. My senior year, she gave me the opportunity to teach two lessons of biology, which solidified my confidence in pursuing a teaching career,” Maguire said.
Her husband James teaches English at John Paul II Catholic High School in Huntsville. Their “sweet, little two-year-old dog Button brings us a great deal of joy,” she said.
Mary-Kathrine devotes spare time to James, their friends and family. The Maguires, including Button, travel frequently to relatives on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Last September, she entered her first Sprint Triathlon in Virginia; she hopes to complete two more this year.
